Gallery of Latané Work

Locks and Keys

SIMPLE SPRING BOLT DOOR LOCK
A close copy of a lock in the collection of the Vesterheim Museum $2000"



NEW KEY FOR ANTIQUE LOCK
The customer sent an antique ward box from an iron chest, for which he needed a key. Tom forged the key, which has a symbolic bit...notice the three crosses, the one in the middle with a crown.



CHEST KEY REPLACEMENT
Key made to open a locked immigrant chest


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CRAB LOCK FOR A CHEST
Made in a class led by Peter Ross, the lock was fashioned from salvaged wrought iron reworked to appropriate sizes, then forged to shape. Key is mild steel.



DEADBOLT DOOR LOCK WITH FACE
The ward box , in which the key rotates if it has cuts to pass the wards which would otherwise obstruct its passage, has the bearded lower jaw of a face. The rest of the face is attached to the tumbler so that the mouth appears to open in "Muppet" fashion when the proper key raises the tumbler.



SIMPLE DEAD BOLT DOOR LOCK
Mounted on the interior door face so works are visible, it is opened from the interior by lifting the tumbler and drawing back the bolt and the exterior by the key.
Two keys, keeper for jamb, and keyhole escutcheon are included



DECORATIVE DEAD BOLT DOOR LOCK
Mounted on the interior door face so works are visible, it is opened from the interior by lifting the tumbler and drawing back the bolt and the exterior by the key. This lock is display mounted.



EARLY KEY STYLES
These keys (made without being fit to locks) were intended for reenactors to carry.



PADLOCK IN THE STYLE OF THE VIKING ERA
Springs on the bail are compressed by the key so the bail can be removed from the lock body.



DEADBOLT DOOR LOCK WITH PIERCED BRONZE PLATE
Mounted on the interior door face so works are visible, it is opened from the interior by a lever which lifts the tumbler and draws back the bolt and from the exterior by the key.



DEADBOLT DOOR LOCK WITH LATCH BOLT
Mounted on the interior door face so works are visible, it is opened from the interior by lifting the tumbler and drawing back the bolt and the exterior by the key. Lock has a ring handle on the exterior for the latch.



NORWEGIAN STYLE "P" LOCK
The bolt can be removed , releasing the shackle, when the springs on the bolt are compressed by the key, which enters the lock below the hinge of the shackle.



SPRING LOADED DOOR LOCK
Mounted on the interior door face so works are visible, it is opened from the interior by drawing back the double spring loaded bolts and the exterior by the key. This lock is display mounted. $2400



LARGE PIERCED BODY PADLOCK
Keyhole is covered by a door with a trick release. Double bolts retain the bail. Interior works snake around the pierced sections of the lock body. $4,575



PADLOCK WITH COMPLEX PROFILE
The front and back of this lock are similar. There is a trick method for moving aside the keyhole cover. $1,200



SLIDING HASP GATE LOCK
The hasp which hinges on the slide bar at the top of the lock cab be removed when the bolt within the body of the lock is drawn back by the key. The type of lock would be employed by passing the slide bar through staples or eyes on a pair of doors or a single door and the jamb.



TUBULAR KEYS
This selection of keys with tubular stems was made during various demonstrations. The tubes were rolled from heavy sheet and brazed their lengths. Collars were wrapped about one end to strengthen the connection with the bow. Some have been fitted to locks.

Tinwork

CUSTOM HANDPRINT COOKIE CUTTERS FROM TRACINGS OF CHILDRENS HANDS.
$25 /hand 5" or smaller


PIERCED TIN LANTERN



COFFEE OR TEA POT AND CUP



DECORATIVE STAR

Chests

COPPER CLAD CHEST
On the copper jacket of this chest are fastened twelve embossed seals following the evolution of the eagle of the Polish royal seal.
Forged steel crab lock secures the lid.

Follow this link to see photos taken during the construction and description of the wood beneath the copper, the copper cladding and the repoussé eagle emblems.
Copper Clad Chest Photo Essay



CHERRYWOOD CASKET
Quarter sawn by hand and carved by Tom Latané with hand forged hardware and lock.
The hasp lock case was forged from a single piece of steel and trimmed with chisels and files.



IRON BOUND OAK CASKET
The rived wooden sides of this piece are thicker at the bottom than the top and dovetailed at the corners.
The gabled lid is hollowed underneath. The case of the hasp lock was formed from a single sheet of steel, trimmed with chisels and files. All hardware is secured with hand forged nails.



SAINT LUCIA CROWN CHEST
Designed to hold a brass crown made by Kitty, this chest is hand planed pine with the curved lid carved from thick wood.
Forged hardware and enclosed crab lock are held in place by clinched hand forged nails.



ALMS CONTAINER
Made with the help of apprentice, Louis Fisher, this piece is used as a donation receptacle at the Castlerock Museum of Arms and Armor.
The ring on top is connected to a rod which passes through the container and through a hole in the bottom to continue into the counter-top below.
This rod both secures the lid on the container and prevents the vessel from being picked up without releasing the connection to the counter.



WALL CABINET
This cabinet, made from hand planed commercial pine lumber, is constructed with tapered dovetail cleats on the door,
assembled with forged nails and whittled pegs, and fitted with forged hinges of an style used in the 17th century.
Moldings are hand planed. The oil paint contains coarse pigments. $1,200




MINIATURE NERNBURG CHEST
Made with inspiration from a number of examples, this chest is about 1/6 scale.
The key, when rotated in the hidden keyhole, withdraws seven spring loaded bolts on the underside of the lid. $8,250



GOTHIC STYLE CASKET
The walls and lid are composed of sheet steel overlaid with two pierced layers all joined by flush rivets.
The keyhole cover (with a trick release) and the hasp are identical to the hinges on the reverse.



CARVED BIBLE BOX
Designed to hold a customer's bible, this box was made from white oak quarter-sawn by hand from wood provided by the client.
The hasp lock case was formed from a single piece of steel.



CHEST COLLABORATION
The chest, constructed by David Johnson, with hardware, including a cased crab lock by Tom Latané, was painted by Judith Kjenstad.
Hardware is secured with clinched hand forged nails. $2,500



THREE INCH GOTHIC STYLE BOX
This small box has a lock on the inside of the front wall, ring handles on the ends and filed, swaged, and chased ornamentation throughout.



RIVED OAK TOOL BOX
The oak boards from which this box was made were rived from a log with wedges and a froe and finished with a hewing hatchet and plane.
The lid is fitted with wire gimmal hinges and a hasp and staples on the ends of the box hold forge welded rings for carrying.
The hasp is shown secured by a Viking style lock forged from salvaged wrought iron.



AGED OAK CHEST WITH FORGED FITTINGS
The wood for this chest was salvaged oak boards hand planed to remove the weathered surface.
Forged hinges, hasp, and rusted sheet bindings were chisel cut and secured with hand forged nails. $1950

Tools

BRONZE PLANE STOP     $85


DECORATIVE BENCH VISE
The three inch jaws have high carbon steel forge welded on the faces. The screw is a salvaged piece around which the worm for the box was wound before being brazed into the rolled tube. Both jaws have chased acanthus leaves. The vise is secured by lag bolts through the top mounting plate and the lower leg bracket.

PROCESS: A Pictorial Tour
of the Process Used During
Construction of the Vise



VIKING STYLE AXE, Inlaid with silver. 2003
VIKING STYLE AXE Forged of pure iron (no slag as in wrought iron and no carbon as in steel), the eye was formed by wrapping the bar around a mandrel and forge welding it together beyond the eye. Before the welding was completed a piece of high carbon steel was laid between the ends of the iron bar and welded in place as the edge was spread. Grooves chiseled in surface of the iron were undercut to lock the sterling wire in place as it was hammered in to form the design.



NORSE STYLE AXE
Inspired by a 16th century example the mild steel components were forge welded as they were created and then joined together. The tubular socket was formed with tabs forward to be welded to the blade. The mild steel for the blade was split along what would be the edge and a wedge of high carbon steel was welded in the groove before the edge was spread into the final shape. The pattern was cold chased into the surface of the mild steel when the axe was otherwise finished.







GREENMAN HAMMERS
The faces and other designs on these hammer heads were chased into the surfaces while the metal was cold before heat treating. The first two were forged of medium carbon steel, 1045 throughout, while the third was forged of wrought iron with higher carbon steel, 1075, welded on the face and pein.



HACKSAW
This frame was inspired by 17th and 18th century surgeon and locksmith saws. The bead in the middle of the back bar was welded on as a collar before the piece was forged to shape and then filed. The tang passes through the bolster with the ferrule and the three are forge-brazed together.



ADJUSTABLE FRAME JEWELER'S SAW
The flexible back is forged of spring steel to provide tension for the blade. The bolster with the ferrule at the handle was hot chased to produce the bolder impressions then cold chased to finish. The tang on the frame passes through the bolster and handle and is peined over at the decorative washer on the end of the handle.



RIGID FRAME JEWELER'S SAW
The blade mounted in the rigid frame is tensioned by a wing nut on the front of the saw frame. The flat frame is pierced and chased on both sides.



PIERCED DIVIDERS
The three leaf dividers are pierced through, with the piercing on the outer two layers opened up more to produce a tracery effect.



COFFEE MILL
The prototype for a class, this coffee mill was based on elements in photos of old mills. The hand filed burrs are case hardened. The adjustment for grind size is made with the two screws either side of the hopper for the beans. The wing nuts are for dismantling the assembly. Moldings were swaged and filed as were the ballusters.



VISE FOR ARMORER SHOP
Reworked to appear older



DETAIL OF VISE FOR ARMORER SHOP

Lighting

SCANDINAVIAN STYLE TWO-CANDLE CHANDELIER
--With tramel for adjusting height



GOTHIC CHANDELIER $2300

Custom Work

WALL BOARD WITH HOOKS
This piece was inspired by the ornamentation on many Norwegian church doors- $1300"


RING HANDLE FOR A LATCH
Ring handle for a latch. Inspired by medieval Norwegian ring handles for latches on church doors. This was made as the prototype for a class.
The ring handle rotated in either direction will lift the latch bar off the keeper on the door jamb.

BACK OF THE Latch

Follow this link to see photos of the process recorded while making a similar ring handle starting with a bar of steel 3/4" square and ending up with a ring sporting a pair of dragon heads:

Ring Handle for a Latch, Photo Essay

ARMORER SHOP SIGN
-Before installation at Castlerock Museum of Arms and Armor in Alma, WI



ARMORER SHOP WITH SIGN
-Sign installed beside armorer shop display I designed to display collection of tools at the Castlerock museum.
I built the forge, bellows, benches, and shelves as well as worked over the 19th century vise to appear an older style.



CEMETERY CROSS OLSON
-Scandinavian style cemetery cross

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November 10, 2023 11:00 AM